Electric signaling and indicating apparatus



- I I 1,629 49 May 17,1927. M. PROUD ,0

. ELECTRIC SIGNALING AND INDICATING APPARATUS Filed April 8. 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet l Rah/a ed Anmafm'e INVENTOR. W

H- ATTORNEY May 17, 1927.

H. M. PROUD ELECTRIC SIGNALING AND INDICATING APPARATUS Filed April 8, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet N ATTORNEY 1 Patented May 17, 192?.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY MELVILLE PROUD, OF WEST EALING, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO THE UNION SWITCH 6'6 SIGNAL COMPANY, OF SWISSVALE, PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC SIGNALING AND INDICATING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 8, 1920, Serial No. 372,171, and in Great Britain April 14, 1919.

This invention relates to electric signaling and indicating apparatus of the kind in which one of two or more signaling devices, such for instance as electric lamps or groups of lamps are arranged to be rendered selectively operative by switch or relay apparatus controlled from any desired point.

Apparatus of this general character is particularlya plicable to electric signaling systems of the type wherein a plurality of lamps or other indication devices are controlled by a .main relay. One feature of the resent invention is the provision of an additional or indicatin relay which is included in the circuits 0 the lamps or other indication devices, and which in turn is used to control means for iving information to the operator that the esired lamp or other indication device has been rendered operative.

Twill describe four forms of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

- In. the accompanying drawings-.-

Figures 1, 2, and 3 are diagrams showing various systems of connections embodying the principles of the invention and adapted for operatlon by direct current.

Figure 4 is a similar diagram illustrating a modified system of connections suitable for operation by alternating current.

Referring now to the system of Figure 1 the main relay is indicated diagrammatically at 1 as provided with a pair of armatures 2, 3, adapted when in their attracted positions, the main relay 1 being energized, to establish the connections indicated in the figure; The armatures 2, 3 are connected to the terminals of an additional or indication relay 4, the armature 2, in the position shown, being in engagement with a fixed contact 5 and the armature 3 in engagement 7 with a fixed contact 7. The fixed contact 5 is connected to one terminal of. a local battery 11 or other source of direct current, a lamp 9 or other signaling-device being included in this connection. The fixed contact 7 is connected to the other terminal of the battery 11. Another pair of fixed contacts indicated at 6, 8 are-provided which are ada ted to be engaged by the armatures 2, 3 w en the latter are in their lower or unattracted position, the main relay 1 being deenergized. The contact 6 is connected to one terminal of the battery through a second lamp or other signaling device indicated at 10, the fixed contact 8 being connected directly to the opposite terminal of the battery 11.

The additional indication relay 4 is provided with a nonpolarized armature 12 connected to a polarized armature 13.

The operation of this system is as follows:

When the main relay 1 is energized the armatures 2, 3 occupy the positions shown 1n Figure 1 and a circuit s consequently completed from one terminal of the battery 11 through the signaling lamp 9,

j fixed contact 5, relay armature 2, the energizin winding of the additional relay 4, the re ay armature 3, fixed contact 7 to the opposite terminal of the battery 11. The lamp 9 is thus supplied with operating current in' circuit with the additional relay 4, and the latter being thus energizedthe non polarized armature 12 is attracted and the polarized armature 13 isset into a position corresponding to the direction of the flow of current through the energizing winding of the additional relay 4,

The fact that armature 12 is attracted constitutes an indication that current is actually traversing one of the lamps 9 or 19, while the setting of the polarized armature 13 of the relay 4 gives an indication of the direction of the current traversing the relay and so an indication of which lamp is lighted. I

If it be now desired to render the other signaling lamp 10 operative the main relay 1 is de-energized and its armatures 2, 3 fall -terminal of the battery 11. The nonpolarized armature, 12 of the additional relay 4 is consequently stillin its attracted position but since the direction of the flow of current through the energizing winding of this relay is reversed, the polarized armature 13 will be set into its opposite position, thus giving an indication that the lamp has been rendered operative.

' It Will be observed that current traversing the energizing winding of the relay 4 in either direction Will cause the nonpolarized armature 12 to be attracted and since the additional relay cannot be energized unless current is traversing one or the other of the lamps 9, 10 any defect in these lamps or their associated circuits will prevent the nonpolarized armature 12 from being attracted. The setting of the polarized armature 13 on the other hand depends upon the direction of the flow of current in the energizing winding of the relay 4, and this relay is consequently capable of giving three different indications namely one corresponding to whether the lamp 9 or 10 is energized, and a third indication if through any--- defect neither of these lamps are operative.

The positions of the armatures of relay 4 may be determined by observation or 'by means of indicating devices here shown as lamps and 21 supplied with current from v a battery 23 and controlled by the armatures 12 and 13. When armature 12 is attracted and armature 13 is swung to the left as will be the case whenlamp 9 is lighted, current will flow from battery 23 through lamp 20, thereby lighting this lamp. Similarly, when armature 12 is attracted and armature 13 is swung to the right, as will be the case when lamp 10 is lighted, lamp 21 will be lighted by current from battery 23. If, throu h some defect, neither of lamps 9 or 10 is ighted, lamps 20 and 21 will both be extinguished. The lamps 20 and 21 therefore give distinctive indications for each diflerent condition of relay 4.

Referring now to Figure 2 a modified system of connection is illustrated the operation of which will be apparent without further explanation. The battery 11 is in this case connected in the common return for the circuits of the lamps 9 and 10, the energizing winding of the additional relay 4 being-connected, as in the system shown in Figure 1,

to the armatures 2, 3 of the main relay.

A still further modification is indicated in Figure 3 which illustrates a system of connections differing from that of Figure 2 only in that the connections of the battery 11 and the energizing winding 4 of the additional relay are interchanged.

. Figure 4 illustrates a system of connections adapted for operation by alternating current and resembles closely the system shown in Figure 2 except that the battery 11 is replaced by the secondary winding 14 of a transformer 15, the primary winding 16 of which is connected to any suitable source of alternating current. A second transformer 17 is preferably interposed between the armatures 2, 3 of the mam relay 1 and 11,,eaaoee of its three different positions according to whether the current traversing the winding 18 is of the same or opposite relative polarity to that traversing the winding 19, the relay occupying its third' setting when either winding 18 or 19 is de-energized. When contact 26 is swung to the left lamp 20 is lighted; when contact 26 is swung to the right lamp 21 is lighted; and when contact 26 .occupies its intermediate position lamp 25 is lighted.

The provision of the transformer 17 is preferable for increasing the available voltage for operating the additional relay and for enabling the operation of the indication lamps 9, 10 to be efiected even should the circuit of the winding 18 be interrupted or impaired. The use of such a transformer furthermore is desirable in cases in which the additional relay is located at a considerable distance from the indication devices 9 10;

It should be observed that the main relay above referred to may be arran ed to be operated in any desired manner, e ectrically or otherwise,and that this relay may be replaced by a circuit controller of any desired ty arranged to effect the same con- .trol of t e circuits for lamps 9 and 10 and the additional relay. v The invention is b "iously not limited to systems I of -'-eo 'ections above described which are y llus'trative and may be considerablyf varied in without exceeding thQ scope of'theginvention.

Where used the term indicator in the accompanying claims, I refer to the additional relay 4 of Figs. 1,- 2 and 3', and the additional relay 4? of. Fig. 4'.

Having now ,1 particularly described and ascertainedv the nature of my said invention and in what'manner the same is to be'performed, I declarethat what I claim is:

1. combination. a source of current, two signaling'devicesandan indicator responsive to reversalsof current polarity, and circuit controlling means for at times connecting one of said devices and said indicator with said source so" that current of one polarity is supplied to the indicator, and at other times connecting the other of said devices ling and said indicator with said source so that current of the opposite polarity is supplied to the indicator.

2. In combination. a source of current, two signaling devices and an indicator responsive to reversals of current polarity, and means, for reversibly connecting said indicator with said source and -for'including one of said devices or the other in said connection according as the indicator is connected in one direction or the other with the source.

3. In combination, two signaling devices and an indicator responsive to reversals,of current polarity as well as to the presence and absence of current, and circuit controlmeans for at times supplying current of one polarity to one of said devices and to said indica or, and at othertimes supplymg current of the opposite polarity to the other device and to said indicator.

' 4. In-combination, two signalin devices,

necting said indicator and one of said devices with saidsource so that current of one polarity is supplied to the indicator, and for at other times connecting; the indicator and the other signaling device with said source so that current of the opposite polarity is supplied to the indicator.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY MELVILLE IROUD. 

